The Great Black Hawk (Buteogallus urubitinga) is a large bird of prey found in the tropical New World, from Mexico through Central America to Peru, Tobago, and northern Argentina. It is a resident breeding bird that prefers coastal areas but also inhabits forests and open woodland near water. This species is known for its broad wings and mainly black plumage, with a white tail that has a broad black tip.
Identifying the Great Black Hawk
The Great Black Hawk can be distinguished from the Common Black Hawk by its larger size, different call, and tail pattern. The Great Black Hawk has very broad wings and a different tail pattern, with a broader white tip and more numerous and narrower pale bars on the tail of immature birds. The bill is also different, with a black base in the Great Black Hawk and a pale blueish-gray or yellowish-gray base in the Common Black Hawk.
Subspecies of the Great Black Hawk
Image source: Great Black Hawk by Bernard DUPONT
There are two recognized subspecies of the Great Black Hawk:
- B. u. ridgwayi found in Mexico to west Panama
- B. u. urubitinga found in east Panama to north Argentina
Habitat and Behavior
The Great Black Hawk is a resident breeding bird that prefers coastal areas but also inhabits forests and open woodland near water. It is a carnivorous bird that feeds mainly on reptiles, other small vertebrates, crabs, large insects, carrion, eggs, and fruits. It often hunts on foot and is known to raid hoatzin nesting colonies along Amazon rivers looking for eggs and chicks.
Nesting and Breeding
The Great Black Hawk builds a large stick nest in a tree and usually lays one dark-blotched whitish egg.
Migratory Patterns
Researchers have noted that the Great Black Hawk engages in some altitudinal migrations outside the breeding season.
Conservation Status
The Great Black Hawk is categorized as a species of Least Concern, although it may be at risk from habitat loss and shooting in some areas.
Vagrant Sightings
This species has been recorded as a vagrant in the ABA area, with a notable individual that was first recorded in South Padre Island, Texas in April 2018 and later resurfaced in Biddeford, Maine in August of the same year. This individual was ranked as the #1 “Craziest Vagrant of 2018” by the ABA.
Conclusion
The Great Black Hawk is a fascinating raptor species found in the tropical New World, with its distinctive black plumage, broad wings, and unique tail pattern. Understanding the differences between the Great Black Hawk and the Common Black Hawk, as well as its subspecies, habitat preferences, and migratory patterns, can help birdwatchers and researchers better appreciate this impressive bird of prey.
References:
- Great Black Hawk | The Peregrine Fund. Retrieved from https://peregrinefund.org/explore-raptors-species/hawks/great-black-hawk
- Great black hawk. Retrieved from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_black_hawk
- Great Black Hawk vs. Common Black Hawk | BirdForum. Retrieved from https://www.birdforum.net/threads/great-black-hawk-vs-common-black-hawk.169752/
- ID Challenges: the Buteogallus hawks – eBird Central America. Retrieved from https://ebird.org/region/ca/post/id-challenges-the-buteogallus-hawks
- Great Black Hawk (Buteogallus urubitinga) – eBird. Retrieved from https://ebird.org/species/grbhaw1
- Great Black Hawk | The Peregrine Fund. Retrieved from https://peregrinefund.org/explore-raptors-species/hawks/great-black-hawk
